Research

Research Skill

Tool-assisted research with Tavily integration. Transforms basic questions into comprehensive search strategies using AI-optimized web search.

Setup

This skill includes a bundled Tavily CLI script at scripts/tavily-cli.ts.

Requirements

1. Deno - Install from https://deno.land
2. Tavily API Key - Get one at https://tavily.com (free tier available)

Configuration

Set your API key:

export TAVILY_API_KEY="your-key-here"

Create an alias for convenience (add to your shell profile):

# Adjust path to where this skill is installed
alias tavily='deno run --allow-net --allow-env /path/to/skills/research/scripts/tavily-cli.ts'

Or run directly:

deno run --allow-net --allow-env ./scripts/tavily-cli.ts "your query"

Commands below use tavily assuming the alias is configured.

Quick Reference

Common Commands

# Basic search
tavily "your query"

# With AI answer summary
tavily "your query" --answer

# Deep search with more results
tavily "your query" --depth advanced --results 10 --answer

# News/recent content
tavily "your query" --topic news --time week

# Exclude familiar sources to find new perspectives
tavily "your query" --exclude wikipedia.org,reddit.com

Phase Summary

Scope → Tavily Depth

Phase 0: Analysis

Goal: Structure topic before searching. Prevents unfocused searches and scope mismatch.

Scope Calibration

Before searching, assess stakes:

Analysis Template

# Research Analysis: [Topic]

## Core Concepts
- **Primary terms:** [Key terms requiring definition]
- **Terminology variants:** [Synonyms, jargon, historical terms]
- **Ambiguous terms:** [Terms with multiple meanings]

## Stakeholders
- **Primary actors:** [Who is directly involved?]
- **Affected groups:** [Who bears consequences?]
- **Opposing interests:** [Who benefits from different outcomes?]

## Temporal Scope
- **Historical origins:** [When did this begin?]
- **Key transitions:** [What changed and when?]
- **Current state:** [What's happening now?]

## Domains
- **Primary field:** [Main discipline]
- **Adjacent fields:** [Related disciplines]

## Controversies
- **Active debates:** [What's contested?]
- **Competing frameworks:** [Different ways of understanding]

Phase 0 Checklist

• [ ] Identified primary terms
• [ ] Listed potential stakeholders
• [ ] Assessed decision stakes
• [ ] Determined appropriate research depth

Phase 1: Vocabulary Discovery

Goal: Discover expert terminology to unlock deeper search results.

Why Vocabulary Matters

• Outsider terms → introductory material
• Expert terms → research, nuanced analysis
• Cross-domain terms → bridge bodies of work

Tavily Commands for Vocabulary Discovery

Vocabulary Discovery Process

1. Run initial terminology search: ``bash tavily "[topic] terminology" --answer --results 5 ``

1. From results, note:

• Expert terms (technical vocabulary)
• Outsider terms (popular/introductory language)
• Cross-domain equivalents

1. Update vocabulary map (template below)

1. Re-run searches with expert terms: ``bash tavily "[expert-term]" --answer ``

1. Compare result quality - expert terms should surface deeper content

Vocabulary Map Template

## Core Terms
| Term | Domain | Depth Level |
|------|--------|-------------|
| [expert term] | [field] | Expert |
| [outsider term] | General | Introductory |

## Cross-Domain Synonyms
| Concept | Terms by Domain |
|---------|-----------------|
| [concept] | Field A: [term], Field B: [term] |

## Depth Indicators
| Level | Terms | What They Surface |
|-------|-------|-------------------|
| Introductory | [terms] | Overviews, explainers |
| Expert | [terms] | Research, nuanced analysis |

Phase 1 Checklist

• [ ] Ran terminology discovery search
• [ ] Identified expert vs. outsider terms
• [ ] Mapped cross-domain synonyms
• [ ] Created vocabulary map

Phase 2: Foundational Search

Goal: Build foundational understanding with authoritative sources.

Question Pattern → Tavily Command

Source Type Selection

Foundational Search Process

1. Start with expert terminology from Phase 1

1. Run foundational queries: ```bash # Definition/overview tavily "[expert-term] comprehensive overview" --answer --depth advanced

# Key perspectives tavily "[expert-term] major approaches" --answer --results 7

3. For each major perspective found, get 2-3 authoritative sources:

tavily "[perspective-name] [expert-term]" --answer --results 5

4. Track sources in research notes

### Phase 2 Checklist

- [ ] Used expert terminology from Phase 1
- [ ] Searched for foundational overview
- [ ] Identified 2-3 major perspectives
- [ ] Found authoritative sources per perspective
- [ ] Tracked sources

---

## Phase 3: Counter-Perspective Search

**Goal**: Explicitly find opposing viewpoints to avoid confirmation bias.

### Why Counter-Perspectives Matter

Single-perspective research:
- All sources support one viewpoint
- Missing counterarguments
- Echo chamber risk

### Tavily Commands for Counter-Perspectives

| Need | Command |
|------|---------|
| General criticism | `tavily "[topic] criticism problems" --answer` |
| Opposing viewpoint | `tavily "[topic] skeptics critique" --answer` |
| Alternative approaches | `tavily "[topic] alternatives instead of" --answer` |
| Failure cases | `tavily "[topic] failures when wrong" --answer` |
| Avoid echo chamber | `tavily "[topic] debate" --exclude [familiar-sources]` |

### Counter-Perspective Process

1. Identify your current understanding/lean

2. Search for strongest counterargument: